Taiwan is known for its vibrant food culture, hosting a thriving night market scene where food takes centre stage. The island nation’s cuisine is dominated by salty, braised, and fermented flavours, and some of the traditional Taiwanese recipes that we crave include beef noodle soup, fried chicken, braised pork rice, and, for breakfast, danbing (egg pancake).
We’ve rounded up our favourite Taiwanese restaurants in the city, where we dine when we’re in search of the authentic flavours of Formosa.
The best Taiwanese restaurants in Hong Kong
1. ART & TASTE
Open daily from 8:30AM, popular Taiwanese eatery What to Eat has rebranded as ART & TASTE in Central with a fresh, brightly lit interior. The Michelin-recommended menu has (thankfully) remained the same. A true Taiwanese spirit courses through this spot. We keep coming back for heavy-hitters like the meat floss and cheese egg roll (HKD45), tomato beef noodles (HKD90), braised pork with rice (HKD39), and bentos (from HKD69). There are plenty of side dishes to keep things interesting, from deep-fried chicken with Thai basil (HKD48), to scallion beef stir-fry (HKD89), to Taiwanese stinky tofu (HKD59).
ART & TASTE, Shop A, G/F, Carfield Commercial Building, 75–77 Wyndham Street, Central, 6307 6356
2. Check In Taipei
Check In Taipei provides a colourful, fun, and modern touch to Taiwanese cuisine at its branches in Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui. The signature crispy chicken (HKD128) is a must-order, and we love the salted egg yolk taro balls (HKD78), truffle cheesy corn egg crepe (HKD98), and soft-shell crab mapo tofu noodles (HKD238) for more inventive flavour combinations. The eatery’s extensive beverage menu includes tea-infused cocktails, with the Drunken Bubble Tea (HKD98), boozed up with oolong vodka, our tipple of choice.
Check In Taipei, Shop 7, 4/F, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, 2801 6330, book here
Check In Taipei, Shop 2204–06, 2/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3595 0995
3. Yuan Is Here
Yuan Is Here is arguably the most beloved of the Taiwanese eateries on our list. The Taiwan-born owner injects a buzzy night market feel to this Bib Gourmand restaurant. The dishes worth queuing for include the braised pork rice (HKD41), deep-fried chicken with honey sauce (HKD49), and taro rice balls (HKD38), served warm or cold, a classic Taiwanese dessert.
Yuan Is Here, G/F, 31 North Street, Kennedy Town, 3579 2460
Yuan Is Here, G/F, 28 Hung To Road, Kwun Tong, 3705 9848
4. Tai Tsai
Tai Tsai is another spot founded by a Taiwanese expat longing for a taste of home. The restaurant’s braised pork rice is as legit as it gets, showcasing hand-diced pork belly slow-cooked with soy sauce, sugar, and aromatics; the scallion braised pork rice (HKD58) takes this dish up another savoury notch. The basil fried chicken (HKD42) and danbing with pork floss and cheese (HKD40) are also tops here.
Tai Tsai, multiple locations across Hong Kong
5. Duan Chun Zhen
A well-known Taiwanese chain with five branches in Hong Kong, Duan Chun Zhen blends traditional Taiwanese braising techniques with the fiery flavours of Sichuan. The slow-cooked beef noodles with shank, tripe, and tendon (HK94), crafted with Sichuan peppercorn, fermented chilli bean paste, and more than 20 Chinese herbs and spices, is the pungent bestseller here. Diners have their choice of two types of noodles: wide, chewy handmade noodles and thin vermicelli. Other Duan Chun Zhen noodle dishes we enjoy include the rich chicken broth noodles with drumstick (HKD88) and scallion oil dry noodles (HKD76). Note that prices may vary by location.
Duan Chun Zhen, multiple locations across Hong Kong
6. Formosa Autumn
Down an alleyway near Quarry Bay MTR station, you’ll find this hole-in-the-wall Taiwanese eatery, Formosa Autumn, where the friendly staff dish out generous portions of authentic Taiwanese eats. The braised beef with fresh tomato with noodles (HKD68), dry noodles with sautéed minced pork and egg (HKD62), bitter melon with salty egg yolk sauce (HKD78), and three-cup chicken (HKD128) are amongst the homestyle favourites here.
Formosa Autumn, Shop B, G/F, Tak Fat Building, 13 Finnie Street, Quarry Bay, 2563 9388
7. Mu Taiwan Noodles
In addition to scrumptious beef noodles soup (HKD78), no-frills Mu Taiwan Noodles is the talk of the town for its braised pork rice and Taiwanese omelette known as danbing. The egg omelette with pork floss and cheese (HKD52) is our go-to, along with the braised pork and spring onion on rice with Taiwan spicy mala paste (HKD48) and sides of garlic-laden Taiwan sausage (HKD34) and fried sweet potato with plum powder (HKD45).
Mu Taiwan Noodles, Shop 102, 1/F, D2 Place TWO, 15 Cheung Shun Street, Lai Chi Kok, 5598 5351
Mu Taiwan Noodles, G/F, 104 Soy Street, Mong Kok, 9862 2272
8. Deer All
We wish we had discovered Deer All sooner for our Taiwanese breakfast cravings. The smiling staff at this takeaway-only shop, open from 9AM till 2PM Wednesday through Sunday, serve up the best danbing around. For a true hit of carbs in the morn, we always order either the ham and cheese Taiwanese egg roll pancake (HKD40) or black pepper noodles (HKD55), which comes crowned with a fried egg. The Taiwanese milk tea (HKD25) here is another 10 out of 10. If you’re craving a sweet brekkie, the chocolate toast (HKD20) is where it’s at.
Deer All, Shop S, G/F, 27 Mercury Street, Tin Hau, WhatsApp 6187 0940
9. Match2
An on-trend Taiwanese spot with branches at top malls in Causeway Bay (Hysan Place) and Tsim Sha Tsui (Harbour City and K11 Art Mall), Match2 channels Taipei’s night markets with its lively vibe and flurry of flavourful and colourful dishes. The drink selection here is particularly noteworthy, from the grass jelly and aiyu jelly latte (HKD47), to the cheese milk cap pistachio latte (HKD48), to the handcrafted pineapple lemon tea (HKD43). To go with your inventive bevvy of choice, we adore the mala duck blood curd (HKD72), soft-shell crab gua bao with spicy cheese sauce (HKD68), and fresh oyster vermicelli (HKD68) for their strong flavours. The Match2 Cou Cou Hot Pot (HKD198) is a great sharing option, packed with the likes of stinky tofu, cuttlefish balls, pork intestine, and more Taiwanese delicacies.
